Mass Effect One Shots
by JustLynn
Summary: This is simply a collection of one shots, sort of a mixing pot of different situations and characters.


Commander Lorelei Shepard. Why that name made him feel the way he did, he didn't know. Well, he did actually, he just chose to try to ignore it. But he couldn't stop himself from feeling the way he did. She was amazing in his eyes. Perfect. Beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and she could be a real bad-ass when she wanted to be. For years he'd been her pilot. And those two years without her were torturous, he had never felt so empty… so insignificant. But she was back now, and he felt like he had a place again. He also couldn't help but feel… as though he had been given another chance…

It's not like he'd never tired to tell her about his feelings for her... He had, many times in fact. But he could never bring himself to do it. He couldn't help but think it was a bad idea, a waste of time. She, in no way, would ever feel the way he did. He always had these voices in the back of his head telling him 'What would she want with you?' 'You're just a cripple, she couldn't possible feel anything toward you'. He made the decision a long time ago to keep his feelings to himself.

But then she died…

As he watched her drift away into the emptiness that was deep space he felt as if someone had crushed his heart, as well as broken every bone in his body. She had given her life to save his… he would never get over that. At first when Cerberus contacted him to tell him that they'd done the impossible, he didn't believe it. But sure enough, they had brought her back. After being devoid of her for too long, he saw her again on the Cerberus Outpost. As soon as she'd laid eyes on him she smiled, she was incredibly excited to see him. And at that moment, he felt whole once more.

He'd made his decision. He would tell her, even if she didn't care. After losing her once he didn't want to risk losing her again. At least not without her knowing how he felt.

"Joker," Her soft, blissful voice came from behind him. He didn't even need to turn to know it was her, he knew her voice anywhere. She was the only person he knew who could sound so serene, even when she was shouting orders to the squad out on a battlefield.

"Commander," He returned in his normal, easygoing manner. "What can I do for you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing really," she replied. "I just… wanted to talk for a bit. I'm letting the crew enjoy themselves while we're docked at the citadel and I thought I'd keep you company."

"You don't want to go out with the others?" Joker asked her. He certainly didn't want to hold her back because of his pathetic bones.

"Not unless you want to," She countered. "I never get to talk to you anymore, y'know, because we've been so busy dealing with the Collectors and what not." She sat down beside him in the co-pilot's chair.

Joker looked over at her. He noticed that her straight, dirty blonde hair, which was usually pulled back and contained by a ponytail, was now down and faintly disheveled. Her blue green eyes stared back at him. "Are you alright?" She asked a bit worriedly. "You seem a little… troubled by something. What's wrong?"

"Well," Joker began. But the voices in the back of his head began to nip at him. "… Never mind."

"No," She said sternly. "Don't pull that crap on me. Come on Joker, you can tell me anything, you know that right?"

"I know, but-"

"'But' nothing," She interrupted. "Seriously Joker please, just tell me. How am I supposed to help you if I don't know what's wrong?"

Joker closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing', he thought to himself while sitting up straight. "Commander… Shepard… Lorelei. I," He stopped himself like he always had. "I… I think I love you," He spoke so softly that she couldn't quite hear him. He opened his eyes to find her right beside him. She was so close to him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," She said with that warm smile that made him melt every time he saw it.

"I just told you," He said, this time only slightly louder, still very close to a whisper. "I think I love… you."

The response she gave was not one he was expecting. "Really?" She asked him very much surprised.

"Of course," He said back in his normal tone. "Why wouldn't I, look at you. There is nothing notto love about you. Ever since I first met you I have had this feeling that I just couldn't shake for the life of me. You are the reason I wake up in the morning. Two years ago, when you died,I thought my life was over too. I had nothing to live for anymore…"

"Why have you never told me?" She asked softly.

"Because I knew, somewhere deep inside me I knew, you'd never reciprocate the feeling," His voice began to change somewhat. It became slightly feeble and less assertive. "I'm just the pathetic cripple you just have to tolerate."

"Jeff," Lorelei snapped. The sudden change in her voice as well caught his attention. And she never used his first name. Ever. "Don't you talk about yourself like you're worthless, because you're not. I hate it when you bring yourself down like that."

She placed her left hand on the side of his face. He then brought his hand to hers. "You are the most important person in my life," She told him. "Don't you ever forget that, understand." Their faces were now inches away. All he had to do was lean forward and his lips would touch hers. He hesitated.

She shook her head as she smirked at him. "So… are you going to kiss me, or what?"


End file.
